Teaching A Dog New Tricks-2

By Chas. L. Burlingame

A

NY person who will devote himself to a somewhat troublesome task and teach

his dog the amusing exercise of becoming a Swiss bell ringer, will, on completion of
it, derive much pleasure, and will have learned by experience that the memory of the
dog can be cultivated to such a degree that he will be able to play short, simple
pieces of music, and that as soon as he has mastered the same he will not only never
strike a false note, but will also on command play the piece all through without a
single mistake. Although in this experiment no cue words are used as there are in the
mnemonic system, it is somewhat similar to it from the fact that the memory of the
dog is cultivated to a higher degree and plays the leading role. I will not my that a
dog has a musical ear, because in order to understand that, and how far the talent of
the animal extends in this direction, it will be necessary for man to understand and
comprehend thoroughly the language of animals. But that a dog through an
innumerable number of times placing his paws on certain keys, will remember the
same, is a fact, and the more simple the touch is, just so much easier does he
remember them Of course, for this purpose a special instrument must be constructed,
which can easily be done by any good cabinetmaker or mechanic; all that is
necessary is to secure six or eight well toned bells, and make a frame work to hang
them in in such a way that when a key if touched in the usual manner a little hammer
strikes the bell. These keys must be at least one inch and a half wide and placed one
inch apart. If they were placed together, like keys on a piano, the dog would have
difficulty in touching the proper key. Of course, whoever teaches the dog this fee
must thoroughly understand the piece of music selected, and must be able to play it
on the bell without a single mistake, because if he should make an error while
teaching the dog it would muse the animal to strike a false note also.

"Jollying" the Performer

The dog is to be seated on the table in front of the instrument; the trainer must stand
in such a way that the instrument is between him and the dog; he takes a thin rod of
such length that when held in his hand the other end of it will touch the dog's paw
and attaches to the lower end of the rod a small leather strap with a buckle. Strap this
around the right front paw of the dog, close to the end of the paw, in such a way that
the end of the rod rests on top of the paw.

Now, knowing the proper keys to strike to bring out the tone, the trainer lifts up the
rod with the paw attached and places it on the first key to be touched, then on the
second key, the third, and so on, until the piece is finished; every time the piece has
been played through the dog should be allowed a few minutes' rest and be patted and

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rewarded. By this he is given to understand that he has performed his task as desired,
and it will encourage him so that the next time he will follow it with more ambition
and attention and retain the tone and movements in his memory; after a short rest the
performance is again gone through with, and at the commencement any suitable
word or command should be spoken to him, for instance, the name of the piece to be
played, and should be pronounced in a loud, commanding tone. The dog will
remember the continued repetition of this commanding word, and when in course of
time he has learned to strike the keys properly he will associate the command with
the piece and it will only be necessary to repeat it to him when he will at once jump
up on the table and play the piece through.

Plenty of Time Needed

It must be understood that in teaching this the trainer must have a great deal of
patience and time, because it requires an enormous number of times placing the paw
of the dog on the keys, but in a few weeks, of well regulated and diligent practice the
dog will have learned his task.

This experiment can also be performed by using the system known as the eye
training, but in this case it would be very difficult to judge what the dog is playing
because the notes are struck so slowly from the fact that after each touch the dog
must look into his master's eye to see which key he must strike next; and this might
often take a minute's time before the dog would strike the next note, and if the cue
word system is used it would require constant speaking to the dog which would be a
disturbing feature. Then again the piece would be too slowly, and these two methods
would be harder for the dog to learn than the one described.

When the dog has played the piece through a number of times the trainer holds the
rod very loosely in his hand and tries to have the dog commence on the proper key
by merely commanding him. To make it easy for the dog he points at the proper key
with a finger of the other hand. If the dog puts his paw on the key, point to the
second, and so on until the piece is played through. When the dog follows the
pointing of the finger and has struck all the proper keys through to the end, he must
at once receive a good reward, and it will not be necessary to use the rod any more.
Simply point with the finger to the proper key and try to have him play the piece as
quickly as possible; as the dog progresses in his part the trainer takes the finger
farther and farther away from the keys and finally points only from a distance, but
standing close to the table and giving the proper word of command in the beginning.
The trainer will soon observe that the dog, with the keenness of his sight, will see
what key his master wants touched and he will commence at once; as already
mentioned, the dog learns in time through the continued repetition of striking the
keys and will remember it so well that it will only be necessary to command him,
when he will at once render the selection.

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The Language of Flowers

The most interesting experiment with a dog is one that is particularly interesting to
ladies and finds great acclamation in cultivated circles, especially among those who
are interested in the cultivation of flowers and their symbolical meaning.

First the trainer must have a mechanic make twelve small plates of wood or metal,
each one two inches wide by three inches long. Each plate has a piece about one
inch long attached to one corner at right angles to it, to serve as a mouthpiece for the
dog to pick it up, and to makes this easy for him it should be corrugated and turned
up in order that he can hold it securely with his teeth without injuring it. Fastened
upright to the center of each plate is a small rod about eight or ten inches high.
Imitation flowers made of cloth, silk or woolen material are attached to these upright
rods. Paper flowers must not be used. These little bouquets are then placed on the
table in two rows, six in each row. The rows must be about two feet apart, this will
place a row on each side of the trainer, and leave the center space to be occupied by
the dog, which sits facing the exhibitor, and gives him room to move about
comfortably without displaying or knocking over the bouquets. These small
bouquets must stand far enough apart that their leaves do not touch, in order that

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none of them will be knocked over by the dog as he picks one up with his teeth.
When the trainer his these arrangements completed he must learn the twelve flowers
he is using and their location in two rows, and must also know by heart the language
of these flowers, including all the words and expressions which they may be used to
represent. He must have this at his tongue's end in order to give the full elucidation
to any flower the dog may pick up. Every exhibitor must arrange these flowers and
their meaning to suit himself, but for the purpose of fully explaining how this is
done, I give here the list of flowers and their meaning originally used by the inventor
of this system. As the performer stands facing the table, the first flower at his right
hand is a forget-me-not, the second a white lily, the third a tulip, the fourth a corn
blossom, the fifth a gray violet (or pansy), and the sixth a red rose; at his left hand
stands first in the row an evergreen, the second a red pink, then a poppy, then a
auricula, the white rose and the double red pink (carnation).

The symbols of these twelve flowers are as follows: The forget-me-not represents
fidelity, hope, remembrance, etc.; the white lily, purity, innocence, virtue, power,
freedom, majesty etc.; the tulip, vanity, beauty without spirit or heart, etc.; the corn
blossom (cyane), childish simplicity, pious joy, bucolic poverty, faith, etc.; the gray
violet, suffering or patient love, melancholy, love's complaint, etc.; the red rose,
love, innocence, youth, pleasure, perishable, etc. The evergreen, which is the first
plant at the left of the trainer, represents immortality, eternal virtue and its reward,
friendship, eternity, etc. The red pink represents ardent love, noble mind and
changeability. The poppy represents sleep, dreams, death, sorrow, deception, false
heart, etc. The auricula is the emblem of poverty, modesty and all that is lovable.
The white rose is the symbol of purity, innocence, childishness, repentence, etc. The
carnation, last flower in the left row, is the symbol of friendship; beauty, confidence,
etc. The above list is given for the purpose of showing the different symbols of the
flowers, but each performer must make his own selection according to his taste. It is
sufficient for him to remember one or two symbols that each flower represents.

Cue Words Not Needed

When this experiment with the dog is produced the exhibitor must show each flower
to the spectators, giving its name and what it represents, that they may understand
just what flowers are used. He then asks a lady present to name any flower she
would like to have the dog pick up; as soon as mentioned the exhibitor must place
himself apparently by accident near the row in which the desired flower stands; as
there is so much empty space on the table in performing this feat the cue words are
not used. Only the distances from the table are made use of and the trainer shows the
dog in which row the selected flower is by standing near it. Suppose the lady called
for the auricula. The trainer carelessly stands in front of the left row and in the first
distance, because the auricula is in that row and the third one from the dog. The
exhibitor says. "Don Pedro, hand me the auricula." The dog being accustomed to
notice the distance in which his master stands at once picks up the third flower,
which is the one desired. If a spectator asks for a tulip, the trainer must stand at once

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in front of the right row and in the second distance, because the tulip is the fourth
flower in the right row from the dog, and again he commands: "Don Pedro, hand me
the tulip." The dog, noticing the distance, will certainly pick up the tulip. It must be
remembered that when the evergreen or the forget-me-not is chosen that these form
the sixth object and not the fifth, as in the case in the number or alphabet code
previously explained. The trainer must therefore try to make the dog pick up the
sixth flower when he stands farther away from the table, and that this third distance
is to be a sign for the dog to pick up the sixth object. The exhibitor must not forget to
take the flower away from the dog as soon as he has picked it up and show it, calling
attention to the fact that it is the one desired, and then replace it in its proper position
in the row.

Language Figuring in Tricks

When the dog has picked out a sufficent number of selected flowers to satisfy the
spectators, the language of flowers can be performed. "Don Pedro, what flower is the
symbol of childish simplicity?" If the trainer is close to the proper row and in the
proper distance to designate this flower the dog will certainly pick up the corn
blossom. "Don Pedro, which flower is the symbol of purity and innocence?" The dog
picks up the white rose. "Don Pedro, which flower represents patient love?" The dog
picks up the gray violet. "Don Pedro, which flower typifies poverty and modesty?"
The dog picks up the auricula. "Don Pedro, which one typifies vanity?" He picks up
the tulip. "Don Pedro, which flower typifies virtue?" The dog picks up the lily. Now
for something more complicated. "Don Pedro, if a scholar at school wants to sleep
instead of getting his lessons, what flower would you give him for a prize? The dog
picks up the poppy. "Don Pedro, let us suppose you had a sweetheart, what flower
would you send her to show you loved her sincerely?" The dog picks up the red
pink, that being the symbol of ardent love. "Don Pedro, if you were separated for
some time from your sweetheart, and enlisted as a soldier to serve in the Philippines,
what flower would you send to her in remembrance of yourself?" The dog picks up
the forget-me-not;" and now, Don Pedro if it should happen that I died before you
what flower would you plant on my grave?" The dog picks up the evergreen, as that
is the symbol of immortality and eternity. Of course, it is not necessary to put all
these questions to the dog; it depends entirely on the exhibitor or trainer as to how
far he will go in fatiguing the dog.

Distinguishing the Flags

In this manner the trainer can produce the pretty feat of introducing the flags of all
nations. He must secure small flags of the United States, England, Germany, France,
Russia, Austria, Cuba, Italy, Turkey, Norway, Sweden, China, twelve in all, attach
them to little staffs that are attached to the plates in the manner the flowers are. He
then places these twelve in two rows of six each, learning by heart their position, or
for conveninece, he can have the name of each nation painted on the plate to which

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is attached the little staff supporting the flag. He can then easily see the name of the
nation and it is only necessary for him to ask his audience which flag the dog shall
pick up, and then to place himself in the correct distance near the proper row, when
the dog will pick up the selected flag. This experiment can also be performed with a
single row of six single colors, say red, white, blue, green, black and yellow. In this
case the trainer allows only single colors to be selected first, and after the dog has
manipulated theft for a while he can form the different national colors by picking out
the individual colors necessary to form them. To produce this successfully the
exhibitor must know all the different national colors or flags by heart.

A Dog Endowed with Speech

The chronicals of the French academy contain the account of a dog in Germany who
could pronounce over thirty words in such a manner that he was easily understood,
particularly so when he asked for tea or coffee, milk, meat, water, etc. The
celebrated Leibnitz notified the academy of this fact. It was necessary to speak the
words first to the dog, whereupon he repeated them. Leibnitz stated that he himself
had heard the dog speak, and the members of the French academy added that if they
had not been assured of this fact by such a celebrated man as Liebnitz they would
have dropped the matter entirely as not being worthy of their consideration. This dog
was said to be of ordinary size and belonged to a peasant in one of the provinces of
Saxony. The writer himself had for many years in his possession a trained cat, which
when asked had a different cry or meouw, for what it wanted, such as meat, liver,
milk or water.

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Teaching A Dog New Tricks-1

By Chas. L. Burlingame

How Towser May Pose as a Mathematician,
Magician and Mind Reader

T

O EXPLAIN how an animal of

intelligence can be trained to perform
seemingly impossible feats it is
necessary only to refer to the
experiences of gentleman skilled in the
training of animals, and from them it is
learned that it is simply a work of time
and patience to teach a clever dog or
horse to do as its master wishes.

Perhaps the most remarkable example
of patient training on record is the
performance of the black French poodle
"Black Robin," introduced some years
ago in Europe by Mr. Zborskill. His
system while not complicated is of

interest to all lovers of the brute creation.

Cue Word for the Dog

The mnemonic or memory system of training dogs or animals is one of the finest,
most delicate and satisfactory methods. It consists solely in using certain "cue"
words and imperceptible motions of the body, and by their use the memory of a dog
can be developed and cultivated to a much higher degree than one which has been
trained by the movement of the eye. For instance, the forming of words, by means of
an alphabet, different table tricks, the solving of mathematical problems, the playing
of a game of cards or dominoes, the location or selection of different objects with
eyes blindfolded, and many other effects can be performed with such precision that
one is actually astounded at the possibility of a dog producing or performing such
seemingly impossible feats.

The supposition that a dog can be a mind reader or a mathematician no person of
good sense will consider for a moment, still less would one believe that a dog is able
to learn cards, letters, numbers or words. And yet it seems that the great mass of
people will never learn that the most marvellous phenomena has always a purely

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natural cause.

Instinct not the Only Guide

Every intelligent person will admit that a certain amount of sense exists in all
animals in a greater or less degree. It is decidedly false to ascribe all the actions of
an animal to instinct alone, for if the word instinct means natural inclination, then
arises the important question, which among all the creatures of the earth is the
greatest, animal? I cannot stop to consider this question deeply, but am of the
opinion that any animal who is in thorough understanding with his master, whether
it be by cue words, movements of the body or of the eye, must certainly possess
sense. That sense and memory are related goes without saying, because when a man
has lost sense his memory is gone, and just the reverse is true, when his memory is
gone he has no sense. A boy who has no memory is stupid and can neither learn to
read, write, nor figure.

That dogs can remember many words is known to every dog fancier, and is proved
by the simplest training. For instance, when we say to a, dog: "Stand up," "Sit
down," "Carry my paper," "Shake hands," and he obeys each command, it shows
that he certainly must have memory. For this reason the modern system of training
or teaching a dog is elucidated in this article is to be preferred to the method known
as "eye training," in which the dog often receives severe punishment, although this
memory system requires much time and patience.

Eyes Give Them the Hint

The old expression, "I can read it in your eyes," could well be used by the dogs,
because it has often happened that clever dogs have seen in the eyes of their Master
just what he desired them to do.

More than fifty years ago a clever Frenchman, of a speculative turn of mind,
discovered and cultivated this quality in his dog to such a degree that with a glance
at his eyes the dog would pick up certain letters or numbers, thus forming words and
solving different examples. As this Frenchman understood German thoroughly, be
still more astonished his audiences by the faculty with which his dog picked up or
spelled out words in either French of German as desired. In later years, a number of
other performers travelled about with trained dogs educated by this system, which
they had discovered.

In order to bring a dog by eye training up to the point where he will find or pick up
any desired letter or number from an alphabet, or a series of numbers, it is necessary
that he first be taught how to retrieve (i. e,, fetch and carry) well. When he has
learned this simple feat, and all clever dogs learn it quickly, the dog should he
placed on a table and a row of cards laid in front of him. The cards should be of
heavy cardboard and either letters or numbers are painted or pasted on them. One

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end of each card must be turned up a little in order that the dog can pick it up easily
with his teeth.

Trained to a Steady Gaze

In the beginning use only six or eight cards. Accustom the dog to sitting quietly on
the table, holding his head well up and keeping his eyes fixed on those of his trainer,
for whom this is a most difficult and most important proposition, because
innumerable times must the dog's head be lifted up and he must be punished at once
if he moves his head or takes his eyes away from his trainer. When the dog succeeds
in keeping still, with his eyes continually on those of his trainer, the latter casts a
glance or look at any desired card without letting the eyelids fall deeply and stares
with immovable eyes at the selected card, while he speaks sharply, "Find it, find it."
Inasmuch as the dog in this respect has a sharper eye than the man, he sees at once
on which article the pupil or rays of the eye of his master are concentrated, and he
picks up the desired card. When the dog has learned the glance or look to be the sign
to pick up a card, the entire training of the dog is nearly accomplished. All that is
now necessary is to gradually add more cards, with letters or numbers, until words
can be formed or examples solved.

With this method the forming of words is very slow, because each time a card is
picked up by the dog he must again look into his master's eyes for a short time to get
the location of the next card.

Where the letters or numbers on cards are not used the dog is taught to bark a
number, in which case the dog watches his trainees or master's face closely and
simply keeps on barking till the eyes, or their movement, tell him to stop. The chief
drawback to the above system is that any close observer will at once guess by what
means and in what manner the dog has been trained. On the other hand, with a dog
trained in the mnemonic or memory sistem, in which the trainer can operate with
eyes blindfolded, no person can guess or fully discover the fine rapport existing
between master and pupil.

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Figure 1 represents a table on which are placed forty-one pieces of card board in five
rows, each card is about two inches long and one and a half inches wide, and has
painted or pasted on it a number. These numbers commence with cipher and run
consecutively up to forty. The end of each piece of cardboard which is toward the
dog is turned up a little for the purpose already mentioned.

In front of the lower row, nearest the dog, are placed eight cue words. These words,
however, during the lesson must be taken up, because they might disturb the dog
during the training. The trainer must remember the exact location of each of these
cue words, in order that he may know at any time to which number of the lower row
each cue word belongs. All five numbers in each row have one and the same cue
word, hence for forty-one numbers eight cue words are necessary. Number
thirty-eight belongs to the cue word "which."

First Practice with Figures

The trainer selects an intelligent dog, either poodle, spitz, collie, setter or spaniel,
especially one that has learned how to retrieve well. Place the dog on a rather large
table, and if he wants to jump down punish him, slightly, with a few light blows
with the open hand, and he will learn quickly that he is to remain seated on the table.
As soon as he is accustomed to remaining seated on the table, place in the beginning
of his training, a row of only three figures or cards in front of him, namely, 18, 21
and 19, the cue words of these are which, where, and quick. From where the trainer
stands to these three numbers there must be a space of at least eighteen inches and
from the row of the three numbers to the front paws of the dog there must be a space
of at least nine inches. The dog must always be kept at this distance with firmness.
The empty space of eighteen inches will be taken up by the other rows of figures.

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The trainer must stand close to the table, with his hands resting at his sides or held
quietly behind his back. When the trainer wishes one of the first three numbers
picked up, for instance number 18, he in the beginning points at it with his finger to
make the dog understand that in that position lies the article which is to be brought
to him or picked up by the dog and which he is to do everytime when he hears the
cue word "which." In order to have a more perfect understanding with the dog the
trainer stands directly in front of the number.

Where The Dog Reasons

The trainer now begins in the following manner--let us suppose that Don Pedro is
the name of the dog. The trainer says: "Don Pedro, which is number 18, which is it,
which is it, find it." Each word must be repeated several times in order that the dog
may learn it easier, and later on he will remember this cue word whenever he is
asked this question. At the same time the trainer points his finger at the number and
speaks the words "which, which is it." It becomes clear to the dog, if a good
retriever, that he must pick up that number, which he does. To be convinced that he
will pick up the number without pointing at it, it is only necessary to emphasize the
word "which" quite loudly and the dog will certainty pick up the number.

After the dog has done this several times the trainer stands in front of number 19 and
says:-"Quick, Don Pedro, where is number 19; quick, find it." When the dog has
learned this, position is taken in front of number 2 1 and the following words are
used: I 'Where is it, where is 21, where is it, Don Pedro?" When the dog has picked
up this number the trainer should then go from one to another of the three numbers,
always repeating the proper cue words and speaking them in a commanding tone of
voice, always remembering to take and keep the proper position and it will soon be
seen that the dog without any assistance in the way of pointing will soon pick up the
desired number when he hears the proper cue words.

Adding to the Lesson

When the dog has learned the above three cue words the trainer places two more
numbers in front of him, namely 20 and 2. This gives him a row in front of the dog
of five numbers, viz.: 18, 21, 19, 20 and 2, each one three inches from the other. For
the last two be uses the cue words "what" and "can," and Says; "What is No. 20,
what is it. Don Pedro, what is it?" Further: "Can you find No. 2; can you find it, Don
Pedro, can you?" As soon as the dog understands this, three more numbers are added
to the row, 10, 12 and 14, there now being eight numbers in this row. For No. 10 he
says: "Hurry up, Don Pedro, hurry up!" For the seventh number, which is 12, he
says: "Now, Don Pedro, No. 12, now find it." And for the last number, "tell me."
"Tell me No. 14, tell me, Don Pedro!"

It must be remembered that the picking up of these eight numbers cannot by any
means be taught in one day. It depends entirely on the patience and the time of the

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trainer, as well as the intelligence of the dog, whether the animal learns this in a
short or long time. On this account, it will be seen that considerable time is
necessary for the training. It cannot be limited, because in the beginning the dog
should not be urged too much, certainly not over twenty minutes at one time on the
table.

It must not be forgotten that every time the dog does his part well he is to be
rewarded. The best method for this purpose is to give him a small piece of raw
hashed beef. A recognition of this kind is the best means to sharpen the memory of
the dog during this training. After an hour's rest, and the time of the trainer will
admit it, the dog can again be taken in hand for a further lesson. When the dog is
able to pick up without a mistake any desired number out of the first row of eight
numbers, the second row of 16, 26, 4, 24, 11, 34, 1 and 23, is placed on the table two
inches in front of the first row, the dog now having two rows of figures in front of
him.

A String for a Prompter

This time a string is tied around the neck of the dog, one end of which is held
loosely by the trainer. Let us suppose the trainer wishes No. 4 selected, he speaks as
already described; "Quick, where is No. 4, quick, Don Pedro." If the dog starts to
pick up No. 19, which lies under No. 4, the trainer pulls the string a little and at the
same time draws in his abdomen or stomach slightly, without changing his position.
By the pulling of the string the dog is compelled to pass over the first row and pick
up No. 4. The drawing in of the body is a sure sign for the dog to go to the second
row without the string being pulled. As soon as he has learned this a third row of
figures is placed on the table, two inches in front of the second row.

While giving the lessons to the dog on the first and second rows the trainer stands
close up to the table. When teaching him the third row he stands six or eight inches
away from the table; this is called the first distance. Then the experiment with the
string is repeated only when it is desired that the dog pick up a number from the
third row. For instance: "Hurry up, where is No. 15, hurry up, Don Pedro." If the
dog starts to pick up No. 34 the string is pulled a little, compelling the dog to go to
the third row.

Different Distances Shown

When the trainer stands in the first distance, as he pulls the String to draw the dog to
the third row to pick up a number he must never draw in his body, because the
difference from the table is the third sign for the dog, in order that later he will reach
the third row without using the string. After the string has been used a number of
times and the dog understands what the first distance means, namely a sign for him
to reach to the third row to pick up the desired number, the reader should change
about a few times, stand close to the table for a dog to reach the first row, then to

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first distance and draw in the lower part of the body for the dog to go to the second
row, then again close to the table for the first row, then back to the first distance for
the dog to reach to the third row. As soon as the dog understands all this, then the
other two rows of figures must be added to the table; he will then have in front of
him the forty-one figures in the five rows, two inches apart, as shown in figure 1.

The trainer now stands six or eight inches farther away from the table than he did for
the third row, and this creates the second distance, about twelve or sixteen inches
from the table. The trainer can use his own judgment as to the distance he is to stand
away from the table, The farther the distance the more difficult it is to teach the dog.
When the trainer stands in the second distance from the table he can allow the dog to
pick up a number from the fourth and fifth rows and must practice with him the cue
words and by manipulating the string until the dog understands that this distance is a
sign for the fourth row. For the fifth row the same sign is given the dog that is used
for the second row, the drawing in of the body.

Good Tricks Made Possible

If the trainer should stand in the first distance from the table he could not expect the
dog to pick up a number from the first or second row, and much less could this be
expected if he stood in the second distance from the table. In course of time the
trainer will learn that whenever a cue word is spoken loud for the first row, the body
drawn back for the second row, or he stands in the first distance for the third row, in
the second distance for the fourth row, and in this position draws back imperceptibly
his body for the fifth row that each time the dog will pick up the number from the
desired row.

As soon as the dog has learned thoroughly these lessons to pick up any selected
number from among the forty-one on the table the following interesting experiment
can be performed with him, the same table of figures being used. The trainer asks
any person present to name two numbers which the dog should add together and
give the result. Suppose the numbers 11 and 8 are given the trainer must accidentally
(?) stand in front of number 6, and simply say to the dog: "Quick, Don Pedro, how
much is that?" when he will at once pick up number 19 as though he knew what it
all meant. The trainer shows the number to the spectators, places it back in its proper
position, and asks for any person to say what number shall be added to it; some one
says 14; the trainer must at once stand in front of number 31 and say: "Tell me how
much, Don Pedro; add 14 to it," when the dog will quickly pick up number 33.
Addition, subtraction, multiplicafion, fractions or anything in the arithmetical line
may be done in like manner, and if the trainer or exhibitor is clever and, quick at
figures--a "lightning calculator" so-called--he may undertake to have doggie
perform all sorts of arithmetical problems. The reader will readily comprehend, too,
that a thoroughly trained dog and master might in like manner accomplish some
stunning feats in mind reading and the like.

The master having thoroughly acquired the relative position of the numbers, might

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with practice be able to put himself in proper position before the table even when
blindfolded. The proper distance from the table may be easily fixed by keeping one
hand in touch with it. Here is a pretty trick illustrative of what may thus be done: An
ordinary slate is used and the exhibitor requests any person to write three different
numbers on the slate, or his age, how long he has been married and how many
children he has. Suppose the person wrote 39, 13 and 8, representing him to be 39
years old, thirteen years married and the happy possessor of eight children. Of
course the exhibitor, or trainer, must be told or shown these numbers and take
particular care that he does not forget them. He returns the slate to the person, goes
to the table, allows himself to be blindfolded and takes a position in the second
distance from the table and says to the dog; "What is the first number the gentleman
wrote?" The dog picks up 39. The trainer then steps a little closer to the table into
the first distance and says, "Quick, how long has the gentleman been married?" and
the dog picks up No. 13. Remaining still in the first distance he continues with,
"Now you must tell me how many children he has?" and the dog will pick up No. 8.

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